Love Like You

Chapter 9

(Rose's POV)

She had been called a liar.

She had been called a hypocrite.

She had been called a murderer.

But never, never, had she been called, nor wanted to be called, a person who lost her beloved Pearl.

Through her peril, Rose realized just how ridiculous that sounded. Back on Homeworld, losing a Pearl would be the least of a Gem Elite's concerns. But Rose cared for her Pearl, just as much as she cared about herself. Garnet wouldn't budge, she wouldn't speak. Her inner Sapphire was obviously freezing her up. Garnet knew something, but wasn't telling. Rose could feel it in her gem. As tears ran down her face, she lept into the sky, hoping to float and survey the land, but ended up just plummeting to the ground. She was too distracted to control her floating powers.

YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME!

Rose staggered. A memory, though she had more of them then there are blades of grass in a pasture, had just shot out at her like a bullet. Shaking her head to rid herself of the momentary lapse, she sprinted through the streets, making many people stare at her, but she didn't ca-

JUST SHUT UP AND SHATTER ME!

Rose gasped and tripped, then fell onto the ground and skidded. A voice, a low, angry voice, seemed to be screaming at her, raging at her, with anger hotter than blazing sand, but Rose just couldn't remember-

YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ANY OF US! YOU'RE JUST LIKE ONE OF THEM!

I'm sorry Bismuth, but it's just-

"Not right," Rose whispered, and tears, tears like she had never cried before fell down her cheeks. She crumpled where she stood, in a dark, deserted ally, dust swirling around her, her face in her hands as she sobbed. She never wanted to do it. But Bismuth, she forced her! She had no choice but to... to...

"AAAAARGGGGHHH!" Rose screamed into the air, clawing at her eyes, and the dust around her became a tornado. It all came back to her, a painful memory, one she thought she got rid of a long time ago...

Bismuth. I'm not doing this!

YOU HAVE TO! DO IT! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOU ANYMORE! OR ANY OF THIS!

Bismuth, no!

YOU LET THEM DIE! FOR WHAT?! WE NEED VENGANCE!

Bismuth, that's not the way!

YOU NEVER CARED ABOUT ME!

Bismuth, stop, please-

JUST SHUT UP AND SHATTER ME!

I'm sorry Bismuth, but it's just not right! I won't do it!

THEN I WILL!

No!

A sword stroke, and Bismuth, the most Crystal Gem one could get, the one who lived and breathed rebellion, was poofed. Bubbled. Stowe's away in Rose's Room, along with a flag from the rebellion and a chest full of... items, under a tall pink tree on top of a small hill. And her sword. Never had she used it after her proofing of Bismuth. The other Gems didn't know why. Just add them to the list of secrets she never told anyone, not even-

"Pearl!" Rose suddenly remembered what she was doing. The dust around her fell and settled onto the ground as if it had never been disturbed. She ran out of the ally and turned, them almost crashed into Garnet.

"Garnet!," she gasped, wiping tears from her eyes. "Wha- what are you-?"

"She's at the Palanquin," Garnet said clearly. Amethyst was behind her, shaking with fear and confusion.

"Garnet, what does that mean?," she asked, but Garnet hushed her.

"Go. She needs you. Before it is too late."

Rose nodded and ran, but then heard Garnet shout again.

"The Warp won't work! You'll have to find another way!"